Fittingly, NorQuest College’s LINC program offered Mariana Konsolos the very connections to Edmonton, Alberta and Canadian culture she was seeking.
Mariana arrived in Edmonton to join her husband in 2001, leaving behind her native Uruguay and a successful real estate business. She recalls the initial transition to Canadian life being difficult.
"It was intimidating," says Mariana, 46. "It wasn’t just because of the need to learn a new language, but the whole culture. Everything was so different compared to what I was used to in South America. Even answering the phone here was scary."
Her perspective started to change when she enrolled in NorQuest College’s Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program.
LINC programming covers basic English for recent immigrants. Learners benefit from language instruction they need to integrate into Canadian community and work life.
"It was like having a good friend you knew you could ask for help or advice about anything," says Mariana of her time at NorQuest College. "The instructors were amazing and I was in my comfort zone being around other learners who were facing the same challenges. Part of me wanted to stay there forever.”
After graduating from LINC in 2003, the inspiration to explore a new career came from right under her nose. Or, more precisely, from around her neck.
"One day, a lady approached me and asked about the scarf I was wearing. It was from South America, not the kind of thing you could easily find here. When she offered to buy it, I initially said no but at the time I was only making minimum wage so …"
So, Mariana sold the scarf at a hefty profit and began scouring the Internet to find more. When she couldn’t find any, she invested in a sewing machine, taught herself how to sew and started making her own. By Christmas 2004, she had 200 scarves ready to sell and the business continued to grow.
Today, the Princess Florence fashion accessory boutique, named after one of Mariana’s two daughters, has a main location on Edmonton’s west end and a 10-person staff at various pop-up retail kiosks around the city. These locations include hospitals, senior centres and post-secondary institutions like NorQuest College. "Returning to the College was like coming home," Mariana says.
The importance of inclusiveness is another lesson Mariana learned at NorQuest College.
"I really believe in giving people a chance because I was given a chance. Everyone brings value with their culture and experience, which is a lot like NorQuest. It’s really a healing place. The faculty and staff at the College are great guides to help you discover opportunities."
The instructors were amazing and I was in my comfort zone being around other learners who were facing the same challenges. Part of me wanted to stay there forever.